Amtrak devaluing points for Thanksgiving travel?
#16
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The sole question for a customer is whether there is value in the ticket they propose to purchase and whether it makes sense to pay cash or not travel at all... That leads to an individual consumer's evaluation of what those points mean to him. Perhaps it's worth blowing them on a ticket and perhaps its better to pay cash and use the points later.
#17
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 438
Yes there are some who would still use points despite the premium, but I'd bet the majority if they understood how it worked and that their points would be worth more on almost any other day would not share this view.
#18
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
Thanks! It worked. Ticket went from 14,000 some odd points to 4,000 some odd points! Too bad the return train is already sold out so I'll have to hold my existing (refundable) reservation. I assume once a train is sold out it tends to stay sold out?
#22
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: BA GLD, AA GLD 1MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,691
In my experience - just keep checking and sooner or later you will find an open seat. Since the train is pretty flexible in terms of changes, I've always been able to get on a sold-out train as long as I just keep checking at least daily.. normally something will open up.
#23
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
In my experience - just keep checking and sooner or later you will find an open seat. Since the train is pretty flexible in terms of changes, I've always been able to get on a sold-out train as long as I just keep checking at least daily.. normally something will open up.
EDIT: Thanks! It took a few days of checking the Amtrak site, but I did find a cancellation and was able to rebook on points.
Last edited by iahphx; Oct 21, 2019 at 7:52 am